Paragon Biomedical - Advancing Research. Improving Life. Globally.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jared Byer
Paragon Biomedical, Inc.
9685 Research Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
Phone: +1 913 980 0028
www.paragonbiomedical.com

PARAGON BIOMEDICAL PRESIDENT/CEO GENA REED NAMED 2005 REMARKABLE BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Irvine, CA – Tuesday, October 25, 2005

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA // October 25, 2005 - Paragon Biomedical President/CEO Gena Reed received the 2005 Remarkable Business Woman of the Year Award from the Orange County Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO-OC) during their annual awards ceremony Friday, October 14, 2005 at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine, California. Reed co-founded Irvine-based Paragon Biomedical, an international contract research organization (CRO) that manages Phase I-IV clinical trials in a wide range of therapeutic areas, with her husband Nick in 1989. She was selected by NAWBO-OC because of her contributions to the business community, her commitment to promoting and supporting the growth of women in the workplace, and for her dedication to mentoring and supporting business education for young women and girls. “NAWBO is one of the most respected professional organizations for women in Orange County and throughout the nation. To be recognized by this group of dedicated and successful entrepreneurs and business leaders is an honor,” Reed said. “I am truly grateful, inspired, and touched by this special acknowledgment.” During the last 16 years, Reed has helped lead and grow Paragon from a two-person start-up that she and husband Nick initially ran out of a spare room in their home, into an international CRO that employs more than 200 Paragon associates worldwide.
“From the beginning, Paragon Biomedical, has been dedicated to maintaining a corporate culture based on equal opportunity, diversity and life balance, ” Reed said. “Because of that, we have been able to recruit and retain the industry’s top talent.” As a result of those efforts, Paragon has enjoyed high employee satisfaction and one of the lowest turnover rates within the CRO industry.

In 2004, The National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC) recognized Paragon as a certified Woman Owned Business (WOB). “Today, women constitute more than 80 percent of our entire workforce, including four of Paragon’s eight Executive Leadership Team (ELT) positions, “Reed said. “We take pride in our WOB status because it allows us to fully recognize, reward and celebrate the diversity that we have created.” Before founding Paragon Biomedical, Reed worked in the pharmaceutical industry where she held positions in Pharmaceutical Sales Management, Consumer Products Sales Management, and Human Resources at Merrell National, Merrell Dow, and Marion Merrell Dow. Throughout her career, Reed has been actively involved in professional and community-based groups. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Girls Incorporated, a national non-profit youth organization, and the United Way’s Women’s Philanthropy Fund. Reed received the 1998 Orange County Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Healthcare. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

About Paragon Biomedical
Paragon Biomedical, Inc. is a private, woman-owned U.S. based CRO with headquarters in Irvine, California and international offices in High Wycombe, UK, and the southwest coast of Kerala, India. Paragon specializes in the management of Phase I-IV clinical trials in a wide range of therapeutic areas. From inception, Paragon has operated through a decentralized business model supporting a network of professionals with the tools and skills to manage projects seamlessly on a global scale. Paragon’s unique corporate culture has attracted top project managers and clinical research associates who share a strong commitment to excellence, and the vision to make a difference through the passionate pursuit of better healthcare. For more information, visit www.paragonbiomedical.com or contact Lisa VanStaaveren at 949.224.2800 or by email lvanstaaveren@paragonbiomedical.com

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